A water bearer in
India had two large pots, each
hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his
neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the
other pot was perfect and always delivered a full
portion of water.
At the end of the long walk from the stream to the
house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a
full two years this went on daily, with the bearer
delivering only one and a half pots full of water to
his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But
the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to
accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter
failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the
stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to
apologize to you.
I have been able to deliver only half my load
because this crack in my side causes water to leak
out all the way back to your house. Because of my
flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't
get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that
there were flowers only on your side of the path,
but not on the other pot's side? That's because I
have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower
seeds on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years
I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to
decorate the table. Without you being just the way you
are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.
...We're all cracked pots, but it's the cracks and
flaws we each have that make our lives together so
very interesting and rewarding.
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